Who could’ve predicted that an artist as prolific as Willie Nelson would be enjoying a new songwriting renaissance at the age of 81?

The author of such country and popular standards as Crazy, Funny How Time Slips Away and Night Life (all written in the same week in 1961), Nelson shares songwriting credit on 9 of the 14 songs on his new album, Band of Brothers, and has found an innovative method to work with co-writer and producer Buddy Cannon.

“I’m not that easy a guy to write with, but Buddy and I kind of hit it off, and found a pretty good little formula,” said Nelson during an exclusive Album Premiere Special for Band of Brothers that he hosted along with Cannon and harmonica player Mickey Raphael for his SiriusXM channel Willie’s Roadhouse.

The secret? Text messaging.

“Yeah we wrote all these songs and were never once were in the same room,” revealed Cannon.